Information management method and device

Abstract

The current invention discloses methods and devices that may be used to maintain continued synchronization during a P2P session when a synchronizing terminal withdraws from synchronizing the operations of one or more participating terminals. A server may temporarily replace the synchronizing terminal and request operating status information from the participating terminals. After calculating data differences between the participating terminals using the operating status information, the server may transmit the data differences to the participating terminals so that each participating terminal is configured to synchronize itself with the other participating terminals. A new synchronizing terminal is selected from the participating terminals so that the new synchronizing terminal is configured to synchronize the operations of the remaining participating terminals. The current invention prevents termination of network applications due to the withdrawal of the synchronizing terminal, maintaining synchronization and improving the quality of the network applications.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A computer-implemented method for information management, comprising:
 at a computer having one or more processors and memory storing programs executed by the one or more processors,
 detecting a communication status of a synchronizing terminal, wherein the synchronizing terminal is configured to synchronize operations of one or more participating terminals; 
 requesting operating status information corresponding to each participating terminal from the participating terminals when the communication status of the synchronizing terminal meets a predetermined condition; 
 receiving the corresponding operating status information uploaded by the participating terminals; 
 calculating data differences between the participating terminals based on the operating status information corresponding to each participating terminal; 
 transmitting the data differences to the participating terminals, respectively, such that each participating terminal is configured to synchronize itself with the other participating terminals using the data differences; and 
 selecting a new synchronizing terminal from the participating terminals based on a set of pre-determined rules after receiving signals from the participating terminals indicating completion of synchronization, so that the new synchronizing terminal is configured to synchronize the operations of the remaining participating terminals. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the predetermined condition comprises:
 the communication status is that a time period since a last response from the synchronizing terminal to the computer exceeds a threshold. 
 
 
     
     
       3. The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the predetermined condition comprises:
 the communication status is a quitting request indicating that the synchronizing terminal is withdrawing from synchronizing the operations of the one or more participating terminals. 
 
 
     
     
       4. The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the operating status information comprises an operating logic frame value of the corresponding participating terminal and a user input set of the corresponding participating terminal. 
 
     
     
       5. The computer-implemented method of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 determining a most up-to-date operating logic frame value in the operating logic frame values from the participating terminals; and 
 determining a most up-to-date user input set in the user input sets from the participating terminals; wherein 
 the data differences include a difference between the user input set of the corresponding participating terminals and the most up-to-date user input set and a difference between the operating logic frame value of the corresponding participating terminal and the most up-to-date operating logic frame value. 
 
     
     
       6. The computer-implemented method of  claim 5 , wherein
 each participating terminal is configured to synchronize itself with the other participating terminals by adjusting its user input set to the most up-to-date user input set and rendering its operating logic frame to the most up-to-date operating logic frame values based on the data differences. 
 
     
     
       7. The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein
 the pre-determined rules include at least one rule selected from the group consisting of:
 (a) a participating terminal ranked first based on hardware performance of all participating terminals is selected as the new synchronizing terminal; 
 (b) a participating terminal ranked first based on connection stability of all participating terminals is selected as the new synchronizing terminal; 
 (c) a participating terminal ranked first on a pre-existing list of all participating terminals is selected as the new synchronizing terminal; and 
 (d) a participating terminal is randomly selected from all participating terminals to be the new synchronizing terminal. 
 
 
     
     
       8. The computer-implemented method of  claim 7 , wherein
 the hardware performance is measured by clock speed and number of processors, and 
 the connection stability is measured by network delay and fluctuation. 
 
     
     
       9. The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 sending a notifying signal to all the remaining participating terminals regarding the new synchronizing terminal. 
 
     
     
       10. A computer system, comprising:
 one or more processors; 
 memory storing one or more programs to be executed by the one or more processors, the one or more programs including instructions for:
 detecting a communication status of a synchronizing terminal, wherein the synchronizing terminal is configured to synchronize operations of one or more participating terminals; 
 requesting operating status information corresponding to each participating terminal from the participating terminals when the communication status of the synchronizing terminal meets a predetermined condition; 
 receiving the corresponding operating status information uploaded by the participating terminals; 
 calculating data differences between the participating terminals based on the operating status information corresponding to each participating terminal; 
 transmitting the data differences to the participating terminals, respectively, such that each participating terminal is configured to synchronize itself with the other participating terminals using the data differences; and 
 selecting a new synchronizing terminal from the participating terminals based on a set of pre-determined rules after receiving signals from the participating terminals indicating completion of synchronization, so that the new synchronizing terminal is configured to synchronize the operations of the remaining participating terminals. 
 
 
     
     
       11. The computer system of  claim 10 , wherein
 the predetermined condition is selected from the group consisting of:
 the communication status is that a time period since a last response from the synchronizing terminal to the computer exceeds a threshold; and 
 the communication status is a quitting request indicating that the synchronizing terminal is withdrawing from synchronizing the operations of the one or more participating terminals. 
 
 
     
     
       12. The computer system of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the operating status information comprises an operating logic frame value of the corresponding participating terminal and a user input set of the corresponding participating terminal. 
 
     
     
       13. The computer system of  claim 12 , wherein calculating the data differences between the participating terminals includes:
 determining a most up-to-date operating logic frame value in the operating logic frame values from the participating terminals; 
 determining a most up-to-date user input set in the user input sets from the participating terminals; wherein 
 the data differences include a difference between the user input set of the corresponding participating terminals and the most up-to-date user input set and a difference between the operating logic frame value of the corresponding participating terminal and the most up-to-date operating logic frame value. 
 
     
     
       14. The computer system of  claim 13 , wherein:
 each participating terminal is configured to synchronize itself with the other participating terminals by adjusting its user input set to the most up-to-date user input set and rendering its operating logic frame to the most up-to-date operating logic frame values. 
 
     
     
       15. The computer system of  claim 10 , wherein
 the pre-determined rules include at least one rule selected from the group consisting of:
 (a) a participating terminal ranked first based on hardware performance of all participating terminals is selected as the new synchronizing terminal; 
 (b) a participating terminal ranked first based on connection stability of all participating terminals is selected as the new synchronizing terminal; 
 (c) a participating terminal ranked first on a pre-existing list of all participating terminals is selected as the new synchronizing terminal; and 
 (d) a participating terminal is randomly selected from all participating terminals to be the new synchronizing terminal. 
 
 
     
     
       16. The computer system of  claim 15 , wherein
 the hardware performance is measured by clock speed and number of processors, and 
 the connection stability is measured by network delay and fluctuation. 
 
     
     
       17. The computer system of  claim 10 , wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for sending a notifying signal to all the remaining participating terminals regarding the new synchronizing terminal. 
     
     
       18. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions, which, when executed by a computer system, cause the computer system to:
 detect a communication status of a synchronizing terminal, wherein the synchronizing terminal is configured to synchronize operations of one or more participating terminals; 
 request operating status information corresponding to each participating terminal from the participating terminals when the communication status of the synchronizing terminal meets a predetermined condition; 
 receive the corresponding operating status information uploaded by the participating terminals; 
 calculate data differences between the participating terminals based on the operating status information corresponding to each participating terminal; 
 transmit the data differences to the participating terminals, respectively, such that each participating terminal is configured to synchronize itself with the other participating terminals using the data differences; and 
 select a new synchronizing terminal from the participating terminals based on a set of pre-determined rules after receiving signals from the participating terminals indicating completion of synchronization, so that the new synchronizing terminal is configured to synchronize the operations of the remaining participating terminals. 
 
     
     
       19. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of  claim 18 , wherein
 the predetermined condition is selected from the group consisting of:
 the communication status is that a time period since a last response from the synchronizing terminal to the computer exceeds a threshold; and 
 the communication status is a quitting request indicating that the synchronizing terminal is withdrawing from synchronizing the operations of the one or more participating terminals. 
 
 
     
     
       20. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of  claim 18 , wherein:
 the operating status information comprises an operating logic frame value of the corresponding participating terminal and a user input set of the corresponding participating terminal; and 
 the instructions include instructions for:
 determining a most up-to-date operating logic frame value in the operating logic frame values from the participating terminals, and 
 determining a most up-to-date user input set in the user input sets from the participating terminals, 
 calculating a difference between the user input set of the corresponding participating terminals and the most up-to-date user input set and a difference between the operating logic frame value of the corresponding participating terminal and the most up-to-date operating logic frame value. 
 
 
     
     
       21. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of  claim 20 , wherein
 each participating terminal is configured to synchronize itself with the other participating terminals by adjusting its user input set to the most up-to-date user input set and rendering its operating logic frame values to the most up-to-date operating logic frame values based on the data differences. 
 
     
     
       22. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of  claim 18 , wherein
 the pre-determined rules include at least one rule selected from the group consisting of:
 (a) a participating terminal ranked first based on hardware performance of all participating terminals is selected as the new synchronizing terminal; 
 (b) a participating terminal ranked first based on connection stability of all participating terminals is selected as the new synchronizing terminal; 
 (c) a participating terminal ranked first on a pre-existing list of all participating terminals is selected as the new synchronizing terminal; and 
 (d) a participating terminal is randomly selected from all participating terminals to be the new synchronizing terminal. 
 
 
     
     
       23. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of  claim 22 , wherein
 the hardware performance is measured by clock speed and number of processors, and 
 the connection stability is measured by network delay and fluctuation. 
 
     
     
       24. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of  claim 18 , wherein the instructions further comprise instructions for:
 sending a notifying signal to all the remaining participating terminals regarding the new synchronizing terminal.